George Perry
University of Texas at San Antonio
For distinguished accomplishments and contributions at two separate chapters, at the national level, and for promoting the talents of underrepresented populations.
Quote
"Sigma Xi is the primary conduit of open communication of science scholarship, ethics, and education that embraces practitioners from students to leading scholars. Open dialog leads to appreciation of diversity of viewpoints—not just those anointed with advanced degrees or privileged backgrounds. With the assertion of “follow the science”, we are more in need of what science can and cannot answer and where more data can inform decisions. More than ever, Sigma Xi’s contribution to society is critical.
Sigma Xi’s Interdisciplinary presentations offer the opportunity for new insights. I cannot forget learning that low dose radiation increases longevity, an insight that greatly transformed my understanding of why mild stress is a benefit in resisting Alzheimer’s disease."
Biography
George Perry is Professor of Neuroscience, Developmental and Regenerative Biology, holds the Semmes Foundation Distinguished University Chair in Neurobiology, and is former Dean of Sciences at The University of Texas at San Antonio. Perry has studied Alzheimer’s disease since 1982 and was the first to discover that oxidative stress is a key feature of this and related neurodegenerative diseases. His studies identified oxidative damage, its source from metabolic/mitochondria failure and catalysis by iron and copper. This work led to a novel interpretation of the role of amyloid—that instead of causing Alzheimer’s disease, it is a protective antioxidant response, and the reason all the amyloid-based therapies have failed. Perry has been cited over 108,000 times and is recognized as an ISI highly cited researcher (H=163).
Prior to joining UTSA as Dean in 2006, Perry worked for over 20 years at Case Western Reserve University, where he was Professor of Pathology and Neurosciences and Interim Chair of the Department of Pathology. Perry earned a B.A. (High Honors) in Zoology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a Ph.D. in Marine Biology (under David Epel) from Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Hon. D. from Arturo Prat University (Chile). He received a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine (under Bill Brinkley, Anthony Means, and Joseph Bryan) where he laid the foundation for his observations of abnormalities in cell structures.
Dr. Perry has a longstanding relationship with Sigma Xi. He was elected in 1998 and became the President of the Case Western Reserve University Chapter in 2004. He resurrected a moribund Chapter and supported a lively Science Café highlighting the work of scientists in the Cleveland area. He was also a special judge for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Cleveland in 2003. After moving to the University of Texas at San Antonio, he joined the Alamo Chapter where he developed the Science Café with a Masters student he was mentoring. He participated in a wide range of activities including the Spirit of Innovation Awards for the Conrad Foundation, judge for the Student Research Showcase and the Annual Meeting. He further coordinated the Alamo Chapter with the Annual Texas Science and Engineering Fair and hosting the SACNAS meeting in San Antonio. The Alamo Chapter honored him with the Martin Goland Research Award for excellence in research.
As Dean at UTSA for over 12 years, Perry oversaw faculty of 140+ tenure track, a student body of over 5,000, and 10 research centers. Over $55MM was raised from donors, leading to the formation of numerous endowments and initiatives. Research funding tripled to over $30MM/yr. During his tenure he hosted the Texas Science and Engineering Fair and supported numerous programs to promote minorities in the sciences at all levels. Many of these programs were supported by the NIH, NSF, US Forestry Service or by philanthropy. Perry is very proud of programs that were designated national models for effectiveness in the promotion of minorities and lead to our graduates going forward to successful careers.
Perry has won numerous awards for leadership and scholarship and is a member of the Academies of Sciences of Mexico, Portugal, and Spain based on his work supporting research in Iberia and Latin America through leadership in the Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa (formed in 1498),CIBERNED (Spain), and extensive collaboration. He has led several professional organizations, including the American Association of Neuropathologists.
Perry founded and is Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, the most cited journal in the field. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences, Texas Academy of Sciences, Royal College of Pathologists, and the Microscopy Society of America. He is past-president of the Southwestern and Rocky Mountain Division of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and past-president of the American Association of Neuropathologists. He was awarded the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native American in the Sciences (SACNAS) Distinguished Professional Mentor Award, the Senior Investigator Award of the International College of Geriatric Psychoneuropharmacology (ICGP), Martin Goland Award of the Alamo Chapter of Sigma Xi, Senior Fulbright Scholar, the Rous-Whipple Award of the American Society of Investigative Pathology, and Distinguished Texas Scientist of the Texas Academy of Science.